2015 Kia 900 Named International Car of the Year

2015 kia k900

Capping offer a run in which Kia sedans have earned three straight International Car of the Year awards, the 2015 Kia K900 was recognized as this year's winner at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Created to highlight "the emotional connection we have with our cars, and how they reflect our personalities and lifestyles," the honor is presented annually by the editors of Road & Travel Magazine (RTM).

Said the publication's editor-in-chief, Courtney Caldwell: “Three years in a row for the same brand is a first for RTM, and it says a lot about Kia's growth and its continuous introductions of exceptional new vehicles. Not only is the car a beautiful piece of art inside and out, but Kia’s advertising agencies did a remarkable job of getting it into the hearts and minds of luxury sedan shoppers before it even hit the road. Overall, the car is stunning and affordable, making upscale style and performance attainable to mid-America. We applaud Kia's rapid rise from underdog to unbelievable!”

In fact, Kia actually had two finalists in the most recent ICOTY voting, with the 2015 Kia 900 joined in the top five by the all-electric Kia Soul EV as well as the BMW i3, Hyundai Genesis and Mazda Mazda6. As for Kia's past winners, they were the Kia Optima in 2012 and the Kia Cadenza in 2013. It's further worth noting that this year marks the first time RTM has combined its voting for car and truck of the year into one program, meaning that the 2015 Kia K900 also had to beat out all of the year's top trucks, too.

The party line from Michael Sprague, executive vice president of Marketing & Communications for Kia Motors America: “Since arriving in the U.S. market 20 years ago, Kia has repeatedly defied conventional industry thinking, and the K900 is our boldest move yet, making a significant leap forward for the brand and bringing new and affluent customers into our retail showrooms.

"To win the prestigious ICOTY award three years running is a clear indication that our products consistently offer a world-class balance of design, amenities, luxury and value for today’s discerning car buyers.”

The 2015 Kia K900—the car that made a Kia customer out of LeBron James—is on sale now with an MSRP of $59,500.